Mango Banding Survey

[Exomondo]

Hi guys,

I've seen a few reports of people using Mango that aren't getting 32bit colour on their devices. So anyone with Mango can you please jump to this image in IE and let me know if you see banding issues:
http://aagfinance.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/blu_grey_gradient.jpg

Please list your device also, I'm just trying to get an idea of which devices this issue remains with.

For starters the banding issue is NOT present on Samsung Omnia 7.

 

[tiny]

I think IE is 16bit for everyone.

Edit: And it appears that images downloaded from IE appear to inherit that 16bit banding. So I think for your test to work correctly, people will need to download the image to their computer, and then transfer it via Zune to their device.

Edit 2: I downloaded it and put it through Zune and I still got banding. Odd, because I have other pictures on my phone that should exhibit signs of banding (that I swear use to experience it in NoDo) that I can't find any banding in Mango.

So I don't know what to believe anymore. hah. But what I can tell you is that I can faintly see banding in that image on my monitor, which I thought was decently calibrated.

 

[TheWeeBear]

I noticed straight away when i upgraded to mango that banding had much improved in IE9.

For example the WPCentral background was just a mess previously, as was the standard default blue theme for phpbb forums. (Really bad banding at the top)

Now they display really clean with very little banding, gradients are nice and smooth now.

It seems that it's just IE9 that's improved things while browsing, as the coloured backgrounds in the WPCentral app are still awful looking.

PS if you save the WPCentral background (called bodybg) on your PC and look at it on it's own, it's still a mess it has poor quality gradient but you should have seen it before Mango on the phone. (YUK)

 

[Exomondo]

I noticed straight away when i upgraded to mango that banding had much improved in IE9.

For example the WPCentral background was just a mess previously, as was the standard default blue theme for phpbb forums. (Really bad banding at the top)

Now they display really clean with very little banding, gradients are nice and smooth now.

Yes that's what im referring to, it's a MASSIVE improvement over NoDo.

It seems that it's just IE9 that's improved things while browsing, as the coloured backgrounds in the WPCentral app are still awful looking.

I don't think apps have 32bit enabled by default.

I think IE is 16bit for everyone.

Edit: And it appears that images downloaded from IE appear to inherit that 16bit banding. So I think for your test to work correctly, people will need to download the image to their computer, and then transfer it via Zune to their device.

There shouldn't be any obvious banding in that image. The WPCentral background had severe banding in NoDo but not in Mango.

By default 16bit is used for performance, but 32bit can be enabled by a flag in the app manifest, i don't think that worked pre-mango.

 

[Jay Bennett]

For example the WPCentral background was just a mess previously, as was the standard default blue theme for phpbb forums. (Really bad banding at the top)

Now they display really clean with very little banding, gradients are nice and smooth now.

Very glad to have someone confirm that the banding issue is improved in the app with Mango, I still use the backgrounds in NoDo but I do acknowledge that the banding might put people off!

EDIT: Oh, and I've not flagged/enabled 32 bit in any way on the app, the version WeeBear is running is the currently published v1.2.16

 

[TheWeeBear]

Hi there Jay, no the app hasn't changed, the coloured backgrounds are still awful in the app i'm afraid, but everything in IE9 is wonderful.

I use the excellent B&W option in the lastest version of your app so i don't need to look at the really bad banding.

I look forward to seeing what changes when / if, you enable 32 bit in a future version of the app.

Yep currently using 1.2.16

 

[1jaxstate1]

Samsung Focus user, and that image looks horrible on my phone. Yikes.

 

[Jay Bennett]

Ah I misread your post, ok I'll add that to the list of things to look into improving on our Mango release

Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using Board Express

 

[tiny]

PS if you save the WPCentral background (called bodybg) on your PC and look at it on it's own, it's still a mess it has poor quality gradient but you should have seen it before Mango on the phone. (YUK)

Yeah, that happens when you compress the image size to make it load fast. It is a trade off that is pretty much necessary.

 

[TheWeeBear]

Ah I misread your post, ok I'll add that to the list of things to look into improving on our Mango release

Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using Board Express

Excellent Jay thank you. Have another Jelly Baby. (Not a red one though)

 

[Exomondo]

Samsung Focus user, and that image looks horrible on my phone. Yikes.

And you're running Mango?

 

[1jaxstate1]

Yes

And you're running Mango?

 

[Exomondo]

Yes

Well that is strange. The Omnia7 is basically the same hardware yet that image looks fine on mine. I'm assuming yours is a Rev 1.3 device.

Anyone else with Mango on a Focus seeing severe banding on that image?

 

[m_kock]

Just viewed the image on my HTC Trophy in IE9 and I'm getting banding issues. If that helps your survey.